Agent: Colts agree to release Harrison

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INDIANAPOLIS -- Marvin Harrison refused to take a pay cut. The Indianapolis Colts couldn't afford to keep him without one.
On Monday, the two sides reached agreement on one thing: Harrison will be a free agent.
Agent Tom Condon told The Associated Press that Indianapolis has agreed to release the franchise's all-time leading receiver, although an official announcement is not expected until Tuesday or Wednesday.
The decision comes one day after team president Bill Polian said he hoped to cut a deal that would keep Harrison in Indy. When Harrison said no, the Colts said farewell.

"There was no hardball with this, just heartache," Polian told ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen.
"Basically, we were not able to come to any kind of agreement, it was not contentious and the Colts have agreed to release him," Condon said in a phone interview.
It's not a surprising move because the Colts would save about $6 million, based on Harrison's base salary. They would still be charged for prorated bonuses from the $66 million deal he signed in December 2004.
The Colts found it too expensive for a 36-year-old receiver coming off one of the least productive seasons of his career.
Harrison ranks second in NFL history with 1,102 receptions, and the move will disappoint many Colts fans, who embraced Harrison as a favorite. They referred to Harrison, Peyton Manning and Edgerrin James as "The Triplets," and Harrison was one of the franchise's most identifiable player in the last decade.
His penchant for toe-tapping catches along the sideline and incredible grabs in the middle of the field helped the Colts build one of the league's most successful franchises in this decade.
But longtime teammates understood why Harrison wanted to become a free agent.
"I think whatever Marvin chooses to do for himself, he has to do," center Jeff Saturday said Sunday night. "I love Marvin as a friend and as a teammate."
Indianapolis took Harrison in the first round of the 1996 draft and when Manning arrived two years later, the tandem began a record-setting journey.
They combined for more completions, yardage and touchdowns than any duo in league history.
Harrison made eight Pro Bowls, won a Super Bowl ring, and his 14,550 yards rank fourth on the NFL's career list. He is No. 5 all-time with 128 TD catches and holds all major single-season and career receiving marks for the Colts.
Over the past two seasons, though, Harrison hasn't been up to his usual standards.
He missed all but five games in 2007 because of injuries, underwent offseason knee surgery and then caught 60 passes in 2008 -- far less than half of his NFL record 143 in 2002.
Philadelphia police also believe one of Harrison's guns was used in an April shooting in his hometown. No charges were filed against Harrison, and the man who made the accusation was convicted on a misdemeanor charge of lying to police.
On the field, Manning has looked more frequently for three-time Pro Bowl selection Reggie Wayne and Anthony Gonzalez, a first-round pick in 2007.
Yet coaches and Polian insisted Harrison's skills had not deteriorated.
"What I saw is a guy who is as quick as he's been, with the same hands, and he has the ability he's always had," new coach Jim Caldwell said Thursday at the NFL's annual scouting combine.
And Polian insisted he still wanted Harrison back in his familiar No. 88 jersey.
"Hopefully, we'll find a way to work through that [the contract]," Polian said Sunday. "I don't know if we will, but we hope to."
They couldn't.
Now Harrison will look for work elsewhere. Some have speculated that he would like to play with his hometown Eagles and former college teammate Donovan McNabb.
The Colts will have a vastly different look next season.

Future is Fused 3036A.D.

Precisely why I wouldn't mind him coming to Philly for that hometown discount. The Eagles will probably shy away because of his age, injuries, and last years 'incident'. That doesn't change that fact that Harrison on one leg is better than Reggie Brown on his best day. I'd welcome 88 in Kelly Green.

Eviscerator

Sad because Harrison is the "other" face of the Colts and the team looks half complete to me. But on the lighter side of things it would give the Ravens or 49ers the space to get him as a good receiver.

Sultan of Swat

I dont understand how he's not willing to take a pay cut, he's definitely not as good as he used to, the Colts are a goof team and are always in contention to win the Super Bowl. I just dont understand.

Eviscerator

Another thing, am I the only one who's a little wary of why all the veteran players for their teams are getting cut? Chris McAlister, Deuce McAlister, Taylor, Harrison, Brown? Something in the air just doesn't feel right to me.

Registered Member

There's so many Browns and Taylors bro, you gotta be more specific with that.

..and I know how you feel KD. Imagine losing your entire team in 5 minutes (it felt). Culpepper, Moss, Bennett. Seeing them not with the Vikings a few years ago was hard. It was weird seeing Lewis and McGahee running for two different teams too when they got traded.

Registered Member

I could be totally wrong here but it seems like there may be more to this than money, Harrison wasn't being targeted nearly as much as usual this past season, Manning kept looking to Wayne and Clark and i wonder if there was some sort of tension between Manning and Harrison which led to him not being targeted as a receiver and eventually being cut, this could be way out there but there may be some truth in it, or then again it could simply be a money move, at any rate Harrison is looking at his final few years and won't be nearly as productive as he was in his prime, but he can still be successful and could be a bonus to a team thats on the bubble and looking for a veteran player for guidance, he has a lot of football wisdom and is essentially a golden boy (minus the shooting incident) he is a low risk player for any team assuming that they can get him without breaking the bank which seems to be part of his issue right now, he wants more than he's going to get, unless of course he really doesn't care to have that much and the money was just an excuse to leave the team and distance himself from his problems with manning

Sultan of Swat

You could be right Unstoppable, but he has to realised that he's not the number one target on that team anymore, Reggie Wayne is. He's getting up there in age, he doesnt have the same mobility as he once had. I don't think a team will give him a big contract.

blue 3

You know who he could really help? The Chiefs! Haha I always say that. I'm actually pretty series though. Dwayne Bowe could seriously benefit from harrison's guidance. They are similar styles of WR's and having another big target on the field would help Bowe get away from Double teams, especially with TG wanting out.